Senate Approves Bill Allowing VA Doctors to Recommend Medical Marijuana to Veterans, Removes Hemp THC Ban
The Senate has passed a large-scale spending bill that includes provisions allowing doctors at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to recommend medical marijuana to military veterans living in states where it is legal. The bill also removes a proposed ban on consumable hemp products with any quantifiable amount of THC.
The appropriations package, which covers Military Construction, Veterans Affairs, and Agriculture, Rural Development, and Food and Drug Administration, was approved by the Senate in an 87-9 vote. The bill includes an amendment from Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) that mirrors standalone legislation titled the Veterans Equal Access Act.
The amendment would allow VA doctors to recommend medical marijuana to veterans in states where it is legal, and would eliminate a current VA directive barring doctors from issuing cannabis recommendations. The bill also includes language that would permit VA doctors to discuss, recommend, and facilitate access to medical marijuana in states with legal medical marijuana programs.
Additionally, the bill includes a report that discusses the potential for cannabis to be used as an alternative treatment option for veterans, and urges the VA to study the relationship between medical marijuana and a reduction in opioid use and abuse among veterans.
The Senate also removed a proposed ban on consumable hemp products with any quantifiable amount of THC, which was championed by Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY). The ban was opposed by Senator Rand Paul (R-KY), who threatened to hold up the bill if it stayed in.
The bill now heads to conference committee or informal bicameral negotiations, where it will be reconciled with a similar bill passed by the House of Representatives. If the bill is signed into law, it would mark a significant step forward in allowing veterans to access medical marijuana as a treatment option.
The Senate’s action comes as the federal government is also considering the therapeutic potential of psychedelics, including psilocybin and ibogaine. A report included with the bill urges the VA to study the relationship between psychedelic-assisted therapies and a reduction in opioid use and abuse among veterans. The bill also includes language that would require the VA to produce a report to Congress on the status of research into psychedelic-assisted therapies.
Overall, the Senate’s approval of the bill is a significant step forward in allowing veterans to access medical marijuana and other alternative treatment options, and demonstrates a growing recognition of the potential benefits of cannabis and psychedelics in treating a range of medical conditions.
